One trip down

We just got back from our mini-vacation to Dallas for Holly's birthday. We left early Thursday morning and flew home yesterday afternoon. Oliver was SO hilarious in the airport. When we left he did everything by himself. He gave the security officer his ID and ticket. He took his shoes off and put them in the box with his backpack. He walked through security (he actually went in front of me) then picked up his backpack. When we got on the plane he was walking behind me pulling his backpack. I was so sure I would turn around and see him frozen stiff somewhere but he never stopped, it was so cute. It was the same way back from Dallas, he amazed everyone.
Other than Holly's GPS making us go back to the airport the rest of the journey was uneventful. Holly and I spent Thursday and Friday cleaning her house, talking and exchanging recipes. For some strange reason I really love to clean out people's refrigerators so that was my self imposed task for Friday morning. The bottom shelf in between the two produce drawers was complicated to get out (involving pulling forward in the back, up in the front as you push a button lever thing on the side) and Holly said she had never taken it out to clean due to said complications. I was trying to get just the glass part out so I could clean it but it was stuck with refrigerator juice and I kept having these horrible visions of the glass shattering, so I stopped trying to force it. Well, I finally figured out the combination and got that shelf out, now when it came out it flipped upside down and I said, "woo hoo I got it" prompting Holly to show up in the doorway of the kitchen. I picked up the shelf, stood up and turned around quite proud of myself. My pride turned to horror as the glass piece come unstuck and flew through the air and shattered across the entire kitchen and dining room floor. We both gasped and listened as all of that tempered glass popped around on the floor. Holly says now Tyson will have an excuse to get a new fridge.




So, Friday night was Holly's birthday party. Friends came over and we ate black bean quesadillas and everyone played something... I think called Rock Band (right Villa?), and we all stayed up ridiculously late. Saturday while Holly was picking up produce, Oliver, Hadley, Bethany and I set up a book picnic in the backyard where we braved the wind to read in the sunlight and fresh air. Holly and I spent the rest of the early afternoon writing recipes (hey, it's what we do best!). A nap and then off to the church chili carnival. We skipped the food and headed straight for the bounce houses and animals.









After that we ran off to meet Holly's friends at On the Border for a birthday dinner. Whew were we tired, the kids crashed but we stayed up telling stories until much too late. The next morning was church, lunch, airplane then home! We made it home with some new toys and clothes for Ollie and some 4 pounds of Israeli couscous for me.
This week we are saying goodbye to our best Abilene friends. Meghan, Ryan, River and Eden leave on Friday for Washington so we are trying to make their last days as comfortable, fun and restful as possible (and secretly trying to spend more time with them!) They were over tonight for falafel burgers and we have plans for Indian fish and couscous tomorrow night. Then next week we are off to San Antonio for Eva's wedding! It's doubtful I'll blog again before we get back so here are a couple more pictures to tide you over.